62 Cologne

ISSUE 62 - MARCH 2010 > COLOGNE REPORT

Despite a significant reduction in visitor numbers most fastener exhibitors expressed satisfaction with the quality of contacts from this year’s International Hardware Fair, reports Phil Matten.

The International Hardware Fair completed its four-day run on 3rd March with a characteristically subdued Wednesday, giving exhibitors plenty of time to reflect on a show that saw fewer participants, fewer visitors but, on the whole, reasonable results for those fastener companies that did exhibit.

Total exhibitor participation fell by 20% from 3,360 in 2008, representing 61 countries, to 2,686 in 2010 from 52 countries. The most noticeable effect was the compression of the fair into six of Koelnmesse’s eleven available halls. German exhibitor support fell sharply by 35% from 629 to 413, driving the proportion of international participants from 77% to 85%.

The Hardware Fair’s longstanding strength in the Tools sector is now rapidly approaching dominance, with over 2,000 exhibitors in the power and hand tool categories. There were 300 exhibitors in the Industrial Supply segment, 150 suppliers in Fastenings & Fittings, and around 100 in Locks & Fittings.

Asian exhibitors accounted for more than half of the total number of exhibitors, led by an 884 strong contingent from China and 410 exhibitors from Taiwan. Extending previous Koelnmesse practice, Asian exhibitors were strictly limited to Halls 1 to 3. Taiwan fastener related exhibitors were mainly in Hall 3 together with companies from India; Chinese fastener companies were primarily in Hall 2. Fastener World, which has previously organised a large attendance of Taiwan fastener producers and traders, brought only 35 companies this year. Several Asian fastener exhibitors expressed continued discontent over the segregation policy arguing, justifiably in some cases, that their own business turnover was substantially greater than many companies in Hall 5.2. There were also concerns that, while listed alphabetically in the showguide and included in the online exhibitor search system, Asian fastener companies are not featured in the showguide product index used by many visitors to plan their route through the fair.

In 2008 70,000 visitors attended from 129 countries – 33,500 from Germany. This total included some 7,000 consumers, encouraged to attend for the first time as part of an ill-fated experiment by Koelnmesse to enhance visitor totals. This year Koelnmesse restated its commitment to the specialist trade and reported a 10% reduction in trade visitors, comparing this year’s 56,500 total with the 63,000 trade visitors attending the 2008 fair. However the numbers are cut, one noticeable side effect was an Aldstadt somewhat lacking its historic mid-show vibrancy and an uncharacteristic ease in securing a restaurant table even on the normally busy Monday and Tuesday nights. Given the 2008 trade visitor total represented a significant fall from a 2006 figure of 74,890, Koelnmesse’s city stakeholders are unlikely to be comfortable with the longer term implications for what remains the world’s premier hardware show.

Fastener exhibitors were concentrated in one level of Hall 5. Hall 5.2 contained around 126 exhibitors, around 60% of which would normally be considered industrial fastener or construction fixings specialists. Italian producers continued to be strongly represented, as were major German fastener and fixings suppliers, albeit with notable omissions and, in a number of cases, scaled down stands.

Comparisons with the breadth of exhibitors and products at last year’s Fastener Fair Stuttgart were inevitable and frequent, particularly from visitors. That said, many fastener exhibitors in Hall 5.2 reported satisfactory and in some cases good results from the first three days of the International Hardware Fair. Andy Knight (pictured below), sales director of Precision Technology Supplies, one of only two UK companies represented in the hall, was confident that the leads generated would ensure attendance proved cost effective. Luc Pennoit, managing director of Belgium based, PGB Europe was also pleased with the quality of visitor leads generated.

Reyher export manager, Michael Martsch, also told Fastener + Fixing Magazine that there had been better than expected overseas contacts in the first three days of the show. Several exhibitors did note that visitors appeared more targeted with prepared programs resulting in a shorter, more focused visit to Cologne. This appeared to be confirmed by slower starts to the first three days in Hall 5.2 with Tuesday visitor numbers tailing off rapidly from midday. Stainless steel specialist Schäfer and Peters, with one of the largest stands in the hall, reportedly reduced stand personnel from Tuesday. Other larger stands seldom appeared to approach full visitor occupancy and not all exhibitors were so positive about the quality of visitors.

The Fastening Technology Innovation Center was unquestionably well supported, with a varied range of entrants. See the next pages for an in-depth report from Will Lowry.

To read the full magazine click the digital link - top right

Far fewer fastener companies but exhibitors see results

< BACK

International Hardware Fair, Köln